The High Price
by da-angel729
Summary: Charlie Weasley loves his job. It's who he is. It defines him, and makes his life complete. But he also loves a woman.


**Author's Note:** Written for the ABC Meme at **charlieficathon** with a prompt of _Heat_. Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own. So, this was supposed to be a cute, hot smut fic and it turned into something else. I have no idea where it came from and I'm a little unsure about it, and would love advice, suggestions, and constructive criticism. As always, feedback and con crit appreciated!

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**The High Price**

_"Some prices are just too high, no matter how much you may want the prize. The one thing you can't trade for your heart's desire is your heart." ~Lois McMaster Bujold_

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Charlie Weasley loves his job. It's _who _he is. It defines him, and makes his life complete. But he also loves a woman.

For seven months—since a night with a little too much alcohol and a whole lot of sex—it's been casual, and he's loved every second of it. And he used to think it was enough.

What a fool he is.

This woman—Katie Bell—is beautiful, and successful, with her own job, her own life, and not willing to let go of either. He wonders if she loves him at all. Hopefully she does, and it'll be enough to figure out how to make a relationship work.

But he's not sure—of her, of himself—and while he wants to ask, to find out, he doesn't know how.

He moves in and out of her, hands braced on the bed to either side of her head. She grips his shoulders, raises her hips.

Katie shudders underneath him, muscles clenching. Charlie drops his head close to hers, gasping out a shuddering breath against her neck as he reaches his release.

_God, I love you_.

Charlie feels her flinch so he carefully moves to the side, draping his arm over her waist. The words ring in his head, and he hopes he didn't say that out loud—he doesn't know if she's ready for that.

She shifts away from him. Barely, but enough. He knows.

Shit.

Katie opens her eyes, and the wariness in them, centres in the region of his heart. He wants to talk to her, to explain himself, but she sits up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"I have to go."

Charlie'd expected that. She'd made it perfectly clear from the beginning that she wasn't interested in a relationship—she was committed to her job, her life in England, and had no time for anything that wasn't casual. And he'd ruined it.

"Will I see you again?"

Shit, that 'd been more vulnerable than he means for it to sound. Charlie isn't used to feeling this way—off-balance and nervous. He's confident, sure of himself—but Katie is breaking him down without even trying.

"I don't know," she says, slipping her shirt over her head. "I've a few days off in a month or so, hopefully. I might see you then."

She's lying. Straight to his face. He might be a fool—broken some unspoken rule she'd decided was unbreakable. But he isn't going to let her ilie/i to him.

"Katie," he says, and she flinches.

"Nothing's changed," Katie insists, not looking at him as she searches for her jeans. "I've my life, you've got yours. And you don't want to live in England, and I can't live anywhere else. We agreed—"

"Yeah, we did," Charlie interrupts. "And I'm sorry I didn't stick with whatever plan you came up with, but I didn't ask you to _marry_ me, Katie. I just told you how I _felt_. I want to know where in 'I love you' you heard 'I want you to completely give up your life and live with me on a dragon reserve in Romania!'"

Several seconds of silence follows his words, and he stares at her as she looks at the door to his room.

"I'm sorry," she says, so softly he barely hears her. "But my job, it's who I am. It's _all_ I am, all I have."

His heart splits. He feels it fall out of his chest and land at his feet. Charlie stares at her. He can't think of a single word to say.

"And your job, it's _who_ you are, too. I know it, and I couldn't ask you to give that up for me, when I can't do it either."

He wants to reassure her he would give up his job, his life here in Romania for a chance on a real relationship with her, but his throat closes as he tries to say it.

Charlie can't. It's too hard. He's been Charlie, the Dragon Trainer, for so long he doesn't know how to be anyone else. Even with someone he thinks he loves.

He really is a fool.

Katie smiles, a little sadly, Charlie thinks as he stares at her. "I'll see you around, Charlie."

She leaves, and the door closes with a quiet _click_.

He doesn't follow.


End file.
